A hauntingly poignant narrative, this piece delves into themes of longing, abandonment, and unrequited love. The repetition of "What a voice I hear" evokes the protagonist's deep yearning for a lost love, likened to the voice of their dear "Willy." Despite this yearning, there is an acknowledgement of unattainable dreams, symbolized through the imagery of needing wings like a swallow to reach Billy. The shift from a low-hung apron, when love flourished, to one raised to the chin, when it is now ignored, marks the passage of time and emotional distance. The blackbird, mentioned as possibly blind, metaphorically represents the lover’s inability to see and reciprocate affection, mirroring the protagonist's sense of rejection and seeing without being seen. Thus, the song captures the essence of a love that has become invisible and unfulfilled, wrapped in the melancholic realization of being overlooked.
